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The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and Golden Corral recently awarded the James H. Maynard Excellence in Education Award to Jennifer Guiffre of Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES (New York) and Liz Moehr of Pulaksi High School (Wisconsin). The $5,000 cash prize is awarded annually by Golden Corral to two ProStart educators that excel both in and out of the classroom.

“In celebration of the success that Golden Corral has experienced and the innovation exemplified by our founder, James Maynard, we aimed to establish an award for the unsung heroes — the educators,” says Ted Fowler, president and CEO of Golden Corral. “ProStart educators like Jennifer and Liz represent the front-line in preparing students for a successful career and who help students realize their true potential.”

The James H. Maynard Excellence in Education Award was established in 2003 in commemoration of Golden Corral’s 30th anniversary and as a tribute to Maynard. Guiffre and Moehr were selected from the group of 38 ProStart Educator Excellence Award winners for 2013. In addition to receiving a cash prize, Guiffre and Moehr were invited to spend a week at Golden Corral’s Company Support Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, alongside management candidates, management team members, and Golden Corral senior leadership.

The NRAEF’s ProStart Educator Excellence Awards recognize exceptional educators who utilize the ProStart program in their classrooms. Each participating state restaurant association nominates its leading educator who has demonstrated a strong commitment to his or her students and to the ProStart program. Award recipients were honored at the NRAEF’s Educator Excellence Awards Dinner at the Hotel Sax Chicago on Friday, May 17.

“ProStart educators work exceptionally hard to give their students the opportunity to gain real-world experience through a curriculum that teaches all facets of the restaurant and foodservice industry,” says Rob Gifford, executive vice president of philanthropic initiatives for the NRA Educational Foundation. "The Educator Excellence Award winners, including Jennifer and Liz, lead and inspire their students to succeed and are setting a high standard of excellence for students and the industry. They are very deserving of this honor."

ProStart Educator Excellence Awardees include:

· Patrick Roach, Alaska

· Vince Pianalto, Arkansas

· Kimberly Coelho, California

· Sharon Wible, Colorado

· Daria Van Nostrand, Connecticut

· Kip Poole, Delaware

· Paul Shaffer, Florida

· Dawn Martin, Georgia

· Laura Calvert, Iowa

· Mark Crawford, Illinois

· Carrie Douglas, Indiana

· Lorena Ingmire, Kansas

· Jeryl Fischtziur, Louisiana

· Erin Carrera, Massachusetts

· Kerry Johnson, Maryland

· Heidi Rocha, Michigan

· Christie Larson, Minnesota

· Susan Alexander, Mississippi

· Linda Stinson, Missouri

· Beth Wilsey, North Carolina

· Sherry McCranie, Nebraska

· Christopher Santhouse, New Jersey

· Shari Anderson, New Mexico

· Joyel Reyna, Nevada

· Jennifer Guiffre, New York

· David Eichorn, Ohio

· Melody Hunter, Oklahoma

· Alan Joynson, Oregon

· Mark Bennison, Rhode Island

· Kristie Storms, South Dakota

· Holly Davison, Tennessee

· Vicki Tramel, Texas

· Judy Davis, Utah

· Sandra Hawk, Virginia

· Kahale Ahina, Washington

· Liz Moehr, Wisconsin

· Stephen Brown Jr., West Virginia

· Joni Upsher, Wyoming

According to the NRA, total restaurant and foodservice employment is projected to grow by 11 percent over the next 10 years. The NRAEF is committed to ensuring it supports the development of a highly-trained and professional talent pool through scholarships and educational programs such as ProStart, a two-year program that brings the industry and the classroom together to give 95,000 high school students nationwide a platform to discover new interests and talents, while opening doors to fulfilling careers.

With national and local support from industry members, educators, the NRAEF, and state restaurant associations, ProStart is taught in 1,700 schools.